Players echo Jed York: 49ers’ culture was an issue

Updated 7:57 am, Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Video: 49ers Owner Jed York Apologizes To Fans For Terrible Season

If there had been a drinking game Monday morning involving Jed York and his use of the word “culture,” well, his 29-minute news conference would have had a decidedly Bourbon Street-on-New-Year’s-Eve vibe.

A day after the 49ers’ CEO fired head coach Chip Kelly and general manager Trent Baalke following a 2-14 season, York expressed the need to “establish a championship culture” in his brief opening statement.

And he was just getting warmed up.

York invoked “culture” on 16 occasions and said his next head coach needed to possess the ability to “set a culture.”

San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York (center, left) shakes hands with a woman (right) after holding a press conference regarding the firing of both the general manager Trent Baalke and coach Chip Kelly in Santa Clara, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 2, 2017. less

San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York (center, left) shakes hands with a woman (right) after holding a press conference regarding the firing of both the general manager Trent Baalke and coach Chip Kelly in Santa ... more

San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York walks off stage after speaking at a press conference regarding the firing of both the general manager Trent Baalke and coach Chip Kelly in Santa Clara, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 2, 2017. less

San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York walks off stage after speaking at a press conference regarding the firing of both the general manager Trent Baalke and coach Chip Kelly in Santa Clara, Calif., on Monday, Jan. ... more

San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York's hands are seen as he speaks at a press conference regarding the firing of both the general manager Trent Baalke and coach Chip Kelly in Santa Clara, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 2, 2017. less

San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York's hands are seen as he speaks at a press conference regarding the firing of both the general manager Trent Baalke and coach Chip Kelly in Santa Clara, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 2, ... more

San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York laguhs while speaking at a press conference regarding the firing of both the general manager Trent Baalke and coach Chip Kelly in Santa Clara, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 2, 2017.

San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York laguhs while speaking at a press conference regarding the firing of both the general manager Trent Baalke and coach Chip Kelly in Santa Clara, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 2, 2017.

It was clearly something York found wanting in Kelly. York said as much when asked why he quickly dismissed a head coach who inherited a mess: The 49ers went 5-11 in 2015, and arguably had less talent with Kelly before 20 players landed on injured reserve.

“Obviously, your record speaks for itself, but I think there’s more to it than that,” York said. “And I think, again, if you’re going to reestablish a culture and you’re going to have everybody held accountable in the locker room, players accountable to each other, I think the best way to do that is a clean slate.”

This should sound familiar as it relates to Kelly, whose Xs-and-Os competency isn’t an issue. When he was fired by the Eagles just more than a year ago, owner Jeffrey Lurie said he was seeking a replacement with “emotional intelligence,” and some players celebrated his exit.

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Kelly appeared to make changes with the 49ers. He seemingly was universally respected and liked among players and widely credited for keeping the team united in the midst of a 16-game nightmare.

Did Kelly go too far to be a players’ coach? The 49ers, with a 1-6 record, were given the entire bye week off. And the pingpong table in the middle of the locker room was in constant use during the season, as the losses mounted.

On Monday, the 49ers continued to praise Kelly as they cleaned out their lockers. However, with the season over and Kelly dismissed, they opened up for the first time and said, in different ways, that talent wasn’t the only thing they were lacking in 2016.

Asked what he would change if he was in charge, center Daniel Kilgore didn’t hesitate.

“The culture,” he said. “We’ve got some guys in here bringing it every day. Professional approach every day. A winning attitude … I think if you have that approach every day to get better, this team will see some light at the end of the day.”

Backup quarterback Christian Ponder spelled it out even more clearly when asked about a possible lack of professionalism.

“There were a few guys that could probably spend more time in the playbook,” Ponder said. “There were a lot of mental errors throughout the year that made it tough on us in certain positions. You’d like some of the older guys to step up and hold guys accountable. I think that will be a big key moving forward will be accountability with players.”

On Sunday, after a 25-23 loss to Seattle in their season finale, left tackle Joe Staley invoked the topic unprompted. In the past, Staley, 32, has said he would remain a leader-by-example type, even after the exodus of older players made him the team’s longest-tenured player. A two-win season, however, clearly has prompted him to reconsider his stance.

“For me, personally, there’s got to be more leadership,” Staley said. “There’s got to be more accountability. Meeting rooms. On field. Those are things that, being a veteran player ... I have to focus on this offseason and do a better job of being a leader. Being more vocal. It’s a little bit out of my comfort zone.”

The good news for Staley: He’ll have company.

Defensive tackle Quinton Dial, who just finished his fourth NFL season, also sounded ready to assume a more assertive role.

“I think everyone in this locker room has to be accountable to themselves and to the man next to him,” Dial said. “It starts with the leaders. We’ve got to do a better job of that come next season, starting in OTAs. Making sure we’re on the young guys and ourselves as well, so this won’t happen again.”

Players such as Staley and Dial presumably will be assisted by a just-hired, culture-changing head coach. But that assumes York, who has fired three head coaches in three years, correctly can identify the right man.

Wide receiver Torrey Smith, one of just three players on the roster with a Super Bowl ring, knows better than most about championship cultures.

Does he believe York can get it right?

“I’m confident in him,” Smith said. “I think it’s easy to not be because of the past few years, or whatever, but changes happen all the time in any business.”